Overview
- The India Meteorological Department declared the southwest monsoon set in over Kerala on June 4 and says it is now advancing into parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa and the northeastern states.
- IMD forecasts heavy to very heavy rainfall for Kerala, coastal Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and large parts of the Northeast, and has issued district-level yellow, orange and red alerts for many Kerala districts.
- Early monsoon impacts have already been reported in Kochi, where heavy downpours caused waterlogging, fallen tree branches and damage to vehicles and property.
- A separate western disturbance is driving active thunderstorms, gusty winds and abrupt cooling across north India, with IMD data showing temperature drops of as much as about 19°C at some Delhi localities.
- Authorities warn of squally winds of 50–70 km/h, isolated hail and lightning during thunderstorm activity, while IMD’s seasonal outlook — trimmed toward roughly 90% of normal rainfall because of a developing El Niño — raises concerns about variability for crops and water supplies.